After no game on Saturday it was great to get back to some live action on Tuesday night and witness a very young Chesham United put in an encouraging display to help us beat Beaconsfield Town 3-0 and secure our place in the next round of the League Cup. Hopefully we can build on that result this weekend when the First XI travel to Yate Town tomorrow (Saturday).

We were also delighted to welcome the Chiltern Referees Association to the game on Tuesday night, we are always delighted to work with them to improve everyone’s understanding of what goes on on the pitch and for them to use our matches to discusses situations and outcomes. We have all had a good moan at a referee from time to time, but where we would be without them? I have huge respect for those that take on the job, and we will do everything we can to support them.

I am pleased to report that pretty much all players are now fit, except for the long-term injury to Adcock, who we hope to be fit in December and Steve Brown tweaked his hamstring in training last week so is out for two more weeks; Lewis Rolfe has completed his suspension. That leaves the management with nearly a full squad to select from for the first time this season. Can we hope that our injury crisis is now over, and we can field a settled team for the very hectic weeks ahead when we play very competitive league and cup games every Tuesday and Saturday for the next two months?

As has been mentioned before, it has been a challenging start to the season with the Board and I still very much backing our managers to turn the season around. Their knowledge of the game is superb, they understand what this club is about, and they share our ambition for the future. However, it is all too easy for me to sit here and tell you that, so we have arranged for a Meet the Managers Evening on Wednesday 20th October at 7.30pm, followed by a chance to ask the Board any questions you like. Please do come along, ask your questions and be as direct as you like!

Football has always been the main focus at The Meadow. And whilst this will always remain our core business, our off the field activities and involvement in the community is like a snowball running downhill, picking up a pace so that we become very much more involved as a community club.

We are having a local business evening in the coming weeks with a buffet available before an evening league match and a chance to network with fellow businesses, enjoy some good hospitality, some good football and an opportunity for us to talk about what we have achieved, are looking to achieve and to explore if there are any mutual benefits of working together. With fixtures regularly changing, we are just finalising the details and will be sending out invites in the next week or so.

More exciting news is the hard work going on behind the scenes for a new Chesham United Community Trust Ltd which is now very close with its application to the Charity Commission, the people behind this development will be available at the Managers and Board Open Evening for questions and to explain why the club is deciding to take this huge step in a direction away from the typical commercial activities of a semi-professional football club.

A final note to confirm that plans are afoot for our Fireworks Spectacular on Friday 5th November. Once again, we will be pulling out all the stops to put on the very best of displays – We had the opportunity to cut costs or avoid price increases by cutting back the time and intensity of the show, but we did not want to do that. We have instead committed to maintaining the very best of performances and with our new outside bar helping to reduce the queues in the clubhouse and covered terrace around the ground to eliminate the worry of rain, it really is going to be an absolutely fantastic night.

Over the coming week we will be in touch with our fellow tenants up the drive at Amy Lane to work together to minimise impact on our fellow businesses on that evening. Full details and ticket sales information (still the same prices as 2015!) will be advertised very shortly.

I hope to see some of you at Yate tomorrow and then back to The Meadow again on Tuesday for the visit of Swindon Supermarine.

Thank you for your support.